Meteor Shower
by Girl With a Pearl Earring
Summary: Arthur reevaluates what Merlin is and comes to a startling yet pleasant conclusion. Vague A/M though can be read as one pleases.


It was stupid, really. Completely stupid that Arthur Pendragon, prince of Camelot, heir to the throne, and self-named killing machine was allowing himself to be dragged along (by the hand, even!) by his manservant to the tallest tower of the castle under the flimsy pretense of watching a _meteor shower_. Arthur personally thought Merlin had just finally gone insane, what with his general incompetence and having to be around someone as competent as Arthur most of the day, it was bound to happen sooner or later. And what was a "meteor shower" anyway? Arthur was quite sure Merlin had made up the phrase...

And then Merlin glanced back (or rather down, as they were now on a very steep spiral staircase; Arthur immediately resented the stairs for reminding him yet again of Merlin's height advantage) and said encouragingly, "We're almost there. C'mon, Arthur!"

And quite suddenly, Arthur found that he absolutely didn't care that he was running around hand in hand with Merlin at an ungodly hour to see something he really couldn't care less about.

It was something to do with the corners of Merlin's mouth and how they were quirked up in that marvelously ridiculous fashion that Merlin favored when he was planning on doing something completely pointless and have way too much fun doing it. Or maybe it was the sharp blue of his eyes. Really, why did they have to glow like that? Arthur thought once one was past a certain age, the glowing eyes trick wouldn't work anymore, yet here was Merlin looking remarkably like a toddler taking his first steps. Why did he have to be so contrary all the time?

Arthur's irritation started to reappear after they had waited nearly fifteen minutes for the apparent phenomenon. They had progressed from standing to leaning on the parapet to finally giving up and sitting against the freezing stone wall by the time Arthur felt compelled to remind Merlin of their purpose in being there. He had thought he'd said it in a commanding enough tone that Merlin would realize he was losing his patience and would be suitably terrified (or at least, anxious; he wasn't asking for that much, really), but Merlin had the gall to do that stupid glowing eyes trick once more and quirk his lips before replying, "You know, I'm told patience is a virtue. Maybe you should look into that."

Arthur gritted his teeth and reminded himself that if he were to leave now he'd have walked all the way up here and waited on the tower all this time just to lose in a verbal spar with Merlin and that he'd have to stay if he wanted to redeem his reputation.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light in the night sky and Merlin was leaning against the parapet wall so quickly Arthur had barely seen him move.

"It's starting! Arthur, it's starting!" He was leaning so far over the edge, it would be a miracle if he managed to stay on the tower for very long, especially in consideration of his previous feats of clumsiness.

Arthur pulled him back by the shoulder then promptly called him an idiot when he realized he had been worrying about him unnecessarily. Merlin simply beamed at him, his face awash in moonlight and streaked with blue starlight. Arthur felt like simultaneously punching him and...something else. He wasn't sure. Possibly something that would make him immediately need to go out and slaughter an animal (preferably a cute one) before his sanity was compromised, at least if the terrifying clenching feeling in his stomach was anything to go by.

After a good amount of time craning their necks up at the sky then an even longer amount of time leaning against the tower wall to give their necks a break (during which there may or may not have been a moment when Merlin dozed off on Arthur's shoulder and Arthur was too distracted by the stars to be suitably annoyed), they finally wandered back into the main castle in search of sleep and warm beds.

Just as Arthur was going to bid Merlin goodnight and head off for his chambers, Merlin turned quickly and nearly blindsided Arthur with such a deep expression that Arthur wasn't sure what layer of it he was meant to be looking at. There was a brief moment in time, possibly a few breathless, horrifying seconds, when Arthur thought his voice would betray him and say something dreadful and glorious and heart-stopping. Something that would take this moment and change it into an event that would be a turning point for both of them, something he would never be able to take back or brush off, something that would forever condemn him.

Then Merlin saved him. "Goodnight Arthur. And thanks." It was simple and should've meant absolutely nothing at all, yet Arthur still heard the clang of a bolt locking into place, stabilizing and binding him at the same time. And he understood. There didn't need to be any one moment in time that changed everything. There didn't need to be any one sentence that said everything. Because Merlin knew. And he was still standing here, with his glowing eyes and quirking lips, right by Arthur's side. And that was enough.


End file.
